The Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association (SSTA) is to carry out an indicative ballot of its 8,000 members on the initial findings of the Scottish Government's assessment and national qualification working group, due to report at the end of this month.

Members will also be asked if they support a further ballot on industrial action if the measures set out do not go far enough.

The group was set up to look at issues such as bureaucracy, stress and workload, and make recommendations that can be considered by ministers ahead of the 2016/17 school year.

Seamus Searson, SSTA general secretary said: "The SSTA has taken part in the working group and has consistently urged for measures to be taken to reduce the bureaucratic and over-complicated regime for the 2016/17 qualification cycle.

"This is in response to SSTA members across Scotland asking for some action to be taken to address the workload in the next qualification cycle that will begin after Easter.

"The indicative ballot will allow members the opportunity to express their views of the working group report. However, the SSTA National Council has sanctioned a ballot for industrial action should the report not meet the aspirations of its members."